Spruce Maygold: description, planting and care of the Canadian prickly variety

Spruce Maygold is an attractive ornamental tree. When grown at home, the culture does not exceed 30-40 centimeters in height. When planted in open soil, the plant reaches 2-4 meters. The first mention of this plant dates back to the beginning of the last century. North America is considered the birthplace of culture. Despite the unpretentiousness of the culture, to preserve the decorative properties, it must be properly looked after.

Description of the tree

Prickly Maygold spruce is considered a fairly common coniferous tree that has an attractive appearance. Its crown has the shape of a wide cone. Under natural conditions, the tree reaches 2-4 meters in height.

A distinctive feature of the culture is the annual growth of shoots, which gives the needles an interesting golden color. At the same time, last year's needles have the usual green tint.

Maygold variety is characterized by compact size and resistance to frost. The plant is considered very unpretentious. When growing a crop in a summer cottage, it requires minimal care. By the age of 10, the height of the tree is usually 2.5 meters. Spruce is characterized by short shoots, which are almost always horizontal. The tree has shallow roots that are quite widely branched.

Application in landscape design

Spruce of this variety is actively used in landscape design. It is used for decoration of garden and park areas. The culture is used as a tapeworm or to create compositions with other conifers or herbaceous plants.

Landscape designers often use this plant. This is due to the unusual color of its needles. Young needles are golden yellow, while old ones are green. Due to this, the culture looks very decorative.

When using spruce in landscape design, various options are possible. Culture can be applied in the following ways:

• as the main accent in the garden;
• in rockeries;
• in the rock garden;
• as part of a decorative composition.

Because of its compact size, wood is recommended for use in small spaces. Spruce Maygold looks great with taller crops. This plant can be combined with trees that have a different color of needles or a different height.

Fit features

Maigold spruce is considered a very unpretentious plant. However, in order to obtain the desired level of its decorative effect, it is important to carry out planting work correctly. In this case, the choice of seedlings is of great importance. To make future plants look attractive, some effort is required.

How to choose a seedling

When buying a Canadian spruce, you need to inspect the seedling well. With the advent of spring, the Maygold variety changes its color. It is important to consider that in the catalog or in the photo the tree may have a different shade. Also, a young culture can have significant differences from a mature one. This is due to the peculiarities of vegetative reproduction.

Seedlings that are sold in plastic containers are considered a suitable option. It is desirable that they be fertilized with long-acting preparations. Such plants are highly likely to take root on the site.

When buying a seedling, it is important to consider that it should not have damage to the roots, mold or rot.It should be borne in mind that by the time of purchase, the tree must grow in a container for at least 6 months. To appreciate this feature, you should pay attention to the drainage holes through which the plant takes root.

When buying a grafted spruce, you should also take into account some features. In the vaccination zone, the plant should not have cracks larger than 1 mm. Also, there should be no peeling of the bark on the surface. If there are symptoms of diseases or pests on the seedling, you should refuse to buy them.

It is also important to consider that the needles must be securely attached to the branches. If it falls off when touched, it means that the seedling is not of very high quality. By the time of purchase, it is required to inspect neighboring plants. If there are differences in color or traces of pruning at the bottom, you should not buy a tree.

At the same time, even the most even seedling may have fewer branches on a certain side. This is considered a variant of the norm. Subsequently, the crown will be able to adjust. This requires pruning or pinching the shoots.

Preparing the hole and soil

Like Konik, Maygold spruce must be planted exclusively in previously prepared soil. It must necessarily include high-moor sour peat. The hydrogen parameter should be at the level of 4.5. If the soil on the site is rather acidic, it is acceptable to use another alkaline substrate.

For mulching, you need to mix fine pine bark and chopped spruce branches. When planting a crop in the ground, it needs to be moistened abundantly. If the seedling has closed roots, it is allowed to plant it at any time of the year. At the same time, it is required to take the plant out of the container with extreme caution.

Before planting, it is recommended to hold the root system of the tree in a special solution. It is desirable to treat the entire seedling with chemicals. In some types of soil, it is required to add additional components - peat, sand, sawdust of conifers, bark. This is especially important when planting trees in loamy soil or in the so-called heavy black soil.Equally important is the addition of 100 grams of nitroammophoska to the soil.

Seating algorithm

According to the description, the tree needs to be properly planted. It is recommended to do the following:

1. Select and carefully inspect planting material.
2. Prepare soil with mulch and mineral complex.
3. Prepare spruce seedling.
4. Plant the plant in open soil.

After planting, the plant needs to be watered systematically. At least 1 bucket of water should be used per 1 tree. Every week it is necessary to loosen the soil. The plant is characterized by a superficial location of the roots, therefore this procedure is carried out at a depth of no more than 5-7 centimeters.

Peat must be used as mulch. Subsequently, it is mixed with the soil, reused as a fertilizer. The normal development of spruce is possible only with the qualitative removal of all weeds from the soil surface. Perennials can cause particular harm to spruce.

Care Requirements

In order for a culture to grow and develop normally, it needs to be properly looked after. It is important to consider that the culture should be watered and fed in a timely manner.

Irrigation and fertilization

When feeding spruce, it is recommended to use a maximum of 3 grams of fertilizer per 1 kilogram of soil. In this case, the seasonal factor must be taken into account. In spring, the plant needs nitrogen substances, phosphorus preparations should be applied in summer, and potassium preparations in autumn. Maygold perfectly perceives both chemical and natural top dressing. However, with an excess of such substances, the tree suffers or lags behind in development.

If the soil contains some sand, compost or humus should be used as top dressing. Thanks to the introduction of organic matter, it is possible to significantly improve the overall soil performance, increase the flow of oxygen and stimulate the development of beneficial bacteria.With the correct procedure, a lot of worms will appear on the site. This will help reduce the need for expensive mineral supplements.

For the full development of spruce, it needs a lot of water. Therefore, watering the plant is required systematically. At the initial stage of growth, immediately after transplantation and in the following year, the tree must be moistened with at least 10 liters of water. Subsequently, this amount can be reduced to 5-7 liters. In this case, it is worth focusing on the weather. If there is a lot of precipitation in the summer, the amount of moisture should be reduced.

Cutting

Culture of this variety perfectly withstands pruning. However, she does not require constant care. For the first time, it is recommended to artificially remove branches if the crown is asymmetric. In early spring, sanitary pruning is carried out. During this procedure, it is worth getting rid of dry and damaged branches. Also at this point, you need to remove new shoots that have been damaged by frost.

To protect the tree from pathogens and ensure its normal development, sections of cuts must be treated with fungicides. Fertilization may also be required. These procedures are of great importance as they promote normal development, activate the growth of new shoots and protect against the development of pathologies and attacks of parasites.

Pest control

Spruce Maygold often faces spruce aphid attacks. These insects are considered very dangerous for conifers. Under the influence of these pests, yellowish spots form on the green needles. After some time, the needles fall off.

To identify these pests, it is recommended to take a sheet of white paper. It must be substituted under the branch and evenly knock on the branch with the second hand. The insects will fall on the paper and be visible.

Another dangerous pest from which Maygold spruce often suffers is the gall aphid.It comes in red and yellow. These parasites suck out all the juices from the young shoots of the tree. As a result, galls form on the needles. They look like pineapple in appearance. After some time, such branches die off.

Another dangerous parasite is the nun moth. Its larvae are black or off-white. They absorb the needles to the very foundation. Caterpillars reach a length of 5 centimeters. Sometimes, under the influence of parasites, the branches acquire a brown-brown color. This is due to the development of a fungal infection, which mainly affects the lower branches of the conifer.

During a long drought, spider mites can infect the tree. Their larvae weave a translucent cocoon from the web. They live there and suck out the nutrients from the spruce. Under the influence of these parasites, the needles of the plant suffer. After identifying the pest, you need to choose a means to deal with it.

In spring and mid-summer, it is important to carry out preventive treatments with insecticidal preparations. For this purpose, it is permissible to use such means as "Aktara", "Engio", "Match". To cope with pathologies, it is required to apply fungicides. The most effective substances include "Switch", "Skor", "Ordan".

In addition to visible pathologies and parasites, there are those that develop directly in the soil. One of the most common and dangerous parasites is the May beetle. To cope with it, you need to use chemical insecticides. Depending on the variety and instructions, the product is recommended to be used during watering. This should be done closer to the root system.

Processing of the crown with chemicals is carried out starting from the end of April. This procedure must be performed at intervals of 40 days. This must be done before September.

Weeds create a great danger for the prickly Maygold spruce. In this case, the plant lags behind in development and may even die. To avoid such problems, weeds should be removed from the ground every month.

Herbicides also help fight unwanted vegetation. One of the most effective means from this category is the Roundup. To process a young tree, 1 liter of the active ingredient is enough. For an adult spruce, it is recommended to use more than 3 liters of the substance.

Maygold spruce is a very attractive ornamental plant that is used to create various garden compositions. In order for a tree to retain its attractiveness, it needs to provide full and high-quality care. It should include regular watering, nutrient application, formative and sanitary pruning. Equally important is the timely fight against diseases and pests.

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